Selected Letters of William Styron by William Styron Read Free Book Online Page A

expenditures. For two days I was flat broke, but borrowed a few dollars from a friend of mine, Ben Williamson, who is a medical student here.
    My trunk just got here, too. They held it for some time—why, I don’tknow—down in Durham. So all last week I slept on a bare mattress (which I’ve done many times before) and used my overcoat for a blanket. I presume that I have a roommate—most of his clothes are on an empty bed and the man at the rooming office told me I had a roommate—but he certainly hasn’t showed up yet.
    I spent my first night here with Prof. Blackburn, and the next day he helped me make out my course card. He advised me to take the minimum number of subjects, so that I may have time to write on my novel. He’s fully expecting me to write one, it seems; and although I want to—and probably will—I don’t see now one in the offing. However I’m going to start pitching in and see if I can’t finish one in six or eight months.
    I’m taking Russian history, Psychology, Geology, and—of course—Composition under Prof. Blackburn. u The Russian course and Psychology both look very interesting, and the Geology—for a science—doesn’t look too hard.
    Duke is the same old Duke, full of vacuous looking Long Island nouveaux riches , and odd-looking persons, dressed exquisitely in the latest in male + female fashions, who, I surmise, are here because they couldn’t get into Princeton or Vassar. It’s a shame, I think, that the current situation prevents me from going to Columbia or U.N.C., but I don’t suppose it will be too bad here.
    I find that I only know two or three people here—mostly medical students whom I knew at Davidson—but, if my present judgment is correct, I don’t care to know too many of these noisy oafs.
    There are three things which I wish you would try and find for me. First, a desk lamp. Duke, naturally, doesn’t provide a study lamp. Also a record player and typewriter. I don’t necessarily need a typewriter (for I can’t type) but I do need the lamp. If you can also find a second-hand record player combination, it would be fine, for I really feel the need of good music at times.
    Write me a letter. Take care of yourself, and give my best to Eliza and Helen.
    Your son,
    WCS jr
    T O W ILLIAM C. S TYRON , S R .
    May 6, 1946 Duke University
    Dear Pop,
    I am enclosing a notice from the Dean’s Office which was sent to all students in reference to entrance here next Fall. As you can see, it will be necessary to pay the $25 fee—which will be refunded to veterans—or else one loses all right to a reservation.
    Please send me a check for that amount before May 10. Although it’s true I might get into Carolina, I still don’t think I’d better take any chances, do you? v Professor Blackburn, anyway, has suggested that I sweat it out here at Duke for another semester—since that’s all I’ll have to go. He said that the very fact that I dislike Duke might be a greater incentive toward my finishing the “novel,” since if I went over to Carolina the atmosphere might be too distracting. I think perhaps he’s right.
    I got a letter from Crown Publishers today, which is headed by Hiram Haydn, ex-professor of English at W.C.U.N.C. Blackburn wrote him about my projected book, and Mr. Haydn wrote in return that he’d be glad to read it when I finished it. So, with Rinehart, that makes two publishing houses that I know will at least give the ms. consideration. w
    I’m not progressing too fast on the ms., but I don’t mind since I think it’s best to take my time. It’ll probably take a year or more, including this summer.
    I received the $65 and the clippings, both of which I appreciate very much.
    Give my best to Eliza and Helen.
    Your son,
    Bill jr.
    T O W ILLIAM C. S TYRON , S R .
    June 10, 1946 Duke University
    Dear Pop,
    I received your letter and telegram, both of which I enjoyed very much. In regard to your encouraging telegram, I can only say that I don’t know